Mechanism for and method of effecting changes in plating



Aug. 9, 1938. R. H. LAWSON EI'AL 2,126,196

MECHANISM FOR AND METHOD OF EFFECTING CHANGES IN PLATING Original Filed April 16, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 4 I nvenia 2's lloizewilillawqon @ZWfihuive; 2-,

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Aug. 9, 1938. R. H. LAWSON El AL MECHAQISM FOR AND METHOD OF EFFECTING CHANGES IN PLATING Original Filed April 16, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I nvefizo 8's RoZe-ri IiLaw .35 the hooks thereof;

Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES MECHANISM FOR AND' METHOD OF EF- FECTING CHANGES IN PLATING Robert H. Lawson, Pawtucket, and Arthur N.

Gloutier, Lonsdale, R.

I., assignors to Hemphill 7 Company, Central Falls, R. L, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 16, 1929, Serial No. 355,559

Renewed June 23, 1937,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for and method of effecting changes in plating. In order that .the principle of the invention may be readily understood, we have in the accompanying drawings disclosed one embodiment of means constituting said mechanism and will describe the best manner known to us for practising the method of the invention.

In said drawings: v Fig. 1 is a plan view of the sinker cam ring of a circular knitting machine, the cap being re: moved to show the three pathways for instrumentalities hereinafter referred to;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 represent vertical transverse sections taken through the sinker cam ring and the upper end of the needle cylinder and showing one of the needles and the sinker or web holder pertaining thereto, and also a jack preferably employed therewith, said three figures representing diiferent stages in the loop or stitch formation for normal plating;

Figs. 6, "(and 8 are views corresponding to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 but representing corresponding positions of the needle in stitch formation for reverse plating;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of three needles and sinkers therefor employed so in efiecting normal plating at each 'ofsaid needles and for the sake of clearness'representing the parts as widely laterally spaced;

' Fig. 9a represents in side elevation the three needles shown in Fig. 9 with the two yarns within Fig. 10,is a view similar to Fig. 9 but representing reverse plating as occurring at each needle; Fig. 10a represents in side elevation the three needles shown in Fig. 10 with the two yarns 40 within the hooks thereof;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but representing normal plating as occurring at the first and third needles and reverse plating as occurringat the second or middle needle; and

Fig. 11:: represents in side elevation the three needles shown in Fig. 11 with the two yarns. within the hooks thereof.

In the reissue patent to Robert-H. Lawson, No.

16,584, dated April 5, 1927, there is disclosed,

as'so-called sinkers or webholders. Herein'the reverse plating is effected in lines, bands, blocks, dots or other areas which are of precisely the intended width. That is to say, by the mechanism and method of our invention, we are able to make reverse. plating of precisely a single needle or needle wale in width, whereas heretofore it has been exceedingly diflicult to make reverse plating lines or areas of a single needle or single needle wale in width. We are also able to make reverse plating areas of any precise number of needle wales that are desired. In the present invention, we employ a special instrumentality for each needle so that the entire series of needles has associated therewith a corresponding number of sinkers.

We have shown the invention as applied to a circular knitting machine of independent needle type, such, for example, as at Banner machine of the general form disclosed in U. S. patent to Joshua D. Hemphill, No. 933,443. .The needles are desirably latch needles and are preferably operated in usual manner, and two yarns are fed thereto in plating relation, preferably as shown in the said Reissue Patent No. 16,584, and the tension is applied desirably tothe same thread or yarn as is disclosed in the said reissue patent, and the other yarn or thread is fed either without tension or with a markedly less tension. Although our invention is not limited to the application of tension to the yarn or threaddisclosed as the tensioned one in said reissue patent, we preferably so apply the tension that the -'white' yarn (indicated in Figs. 3 and 6 as the lower yarn in the'hook of the needle) is the tensioned yarn, and the upper or black yarn being fed without tension or markedly less tension.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 8, the needle cylinder is indicated at i and the sinker cam ring bed is/indicated at 2. The needles 3 are located for usual sliding movement in the grooves 4. The sinker gain bed is provided with usual radial grooves in each of which is a single sinker only, as indicated at 5v in the several figures. Beneath each sinker in the same groove therewith is located a jack 6 having lengthwise sliding movement independent of that of the sinker.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the sinker cam ring is provided with three pathways, namely, the outer pathway I in which travel only the butts 8 of the jacks 6, the intermediate pathway 9 and the innermost pathway Ill. The butts 8 of the jacks ,6 travel either in the pathway I or the pathway 9 according to the control of the said jacks in a-manner similar to the control of the 5 so-cailed diagonal or dial or jacquard Banner machines by which instrumentalities in the nature of jacks act according to the desired pattern posite thereto, means in the nature of sliding jacks act upon the predetermined butts 8 of desired jacks 6 to move them slightly inward, so that they will travel in the intermediate pathway 9. Jacks 6, which are not so acted upon by said other, sliding jacks, are left to travel in the outer pathway I. A type of means for effecting the selection of instrumentalities by sliding jacks is disclosed in the pending application of Lawson and Lawson, Serial No. 145,512, filed November 1, 1926, Patent 1,897,130.

Any suitable pattern means may be provided to direct desired jacks 6 into the intermediate pathway; such pattern means would act in accordance with the predetermined pattern so that only at the needles whose jacks 6 are guided or moved into the intermediate pathway 9 is reverse plating effected, normal plating occurring upon all the other needles.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the inner pathway In is relatively wide in a direction radial to the needle cylinder, at H, which. is bounded at the inner side by a part of the cam l2 and at the outer side by the cam end l3 of the almost completely circumferential guiding formation H. The guidingedge I5 of the cam I2 is succeeded in a contraclockwise direction by the sharply outwardly sloping edge I6 terminating at a point [1 beyond which in a contraclockwise direction is the inwardly sloping edge I8. We have indicated the knitting point at l9 and the casting off point at 20. The inner edge of the cam end I3 is slightly curved as indicated at 2| and extends inward to a point 22 circumferentially beyond which, as indicated at 23, the formation ll slopes outwardly, being succeeded by a concentric edge extending about the greater part of the series of sinkers.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are shown the positions of the sinkers 5 and jacks 6 during normal plating, and it will be evident that the shoulder 2| mm is provided upon each jack 5 in advance of its butt 8 never comes in normal plating in contact with the outer end 25 of the stem or tail portion of its sinker 5. Each sinker is provided with a -butt 26 which during normal plating is against the outer edge of the pathway II and hence each sinker is in its outermost position as determined by the guiding edge of the pathway at that point. Therefore, normal plating occurs upon each sinker unless it is moved inwardly at some point by engagement of the shoulder 24 of the jack 6 with the end 25 of the corresponding sinker 5. During normal plating the butt 8 of every jack 9 is in the outer pathway 1.

An inspection of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 showing the position of the parts for reverse. planting discloses that the butt I of the jack 6 for reverse plating has been brought into the intermediate pathway 3. Therefore, at a suitable point, the shoulder 24 of that jack contacts with the end 25 of the corresponding sinker 5 and gives the said sinker a slight inward movement that would not be imparted by the outer guiding edge of the inner pathway II. This is evident from an inspection of Fig. 6, and a comparison of that figure with Fig. 3 discloses that the sinker 5 for reverse plating occupies a position further in radially than does the same sinker at the same location when normal plating is to occur thereon.

Each of the sinkers 5 of the entire series is shaped as shown in Figs. 3 to 8 inclusive. Each is of the full width of its sinker groove and rests upon its jack 6 which is also of the full width of that groove. Each sinker is provided with the lower nib 21 which may be of usual construction, and above the same and suitably spaced therefrom it is provided with a nib 28. The upper edge 29 of said nib 28 slopes upwardly as indicated, to a point 30, and outwardly beyond the point 30 is a narrow downwardly extending throat 3| above which is the upper nib 32, the extreme top of which upper nib slopes downwardly and outwardly as indicated at 33, and below the nib 32 is a downwardly and outwardly sloping and pref erably concaved guiding edge 34.

The two yarns indicated at T and NT respectively are introduced in a plating relation preferably in the manner disclosed in the said reissue patent to Lawson, No. 16,584, the lower yarn, shown as white, being the tensioned yarn and the upper yarn shown as black, being the nontensioned yarn. The front incline 29 of the sinker 5 insures the pressing of the tensioned yarn T inwardly against the needle shank 3 so as to insure the continuation of normal plating up to the very needle wale where reverse plating is desired. The inclined throat 3| sloping down, as shown, is provided mainly to get the stitches back down to the level which the incipient stitches had when at the front or inner end of the slope 29 of the sinker 5; that is, to get the top of the loops back down to the normal lower knitting level, at which the loops would have been if the sloping edge 29 were not provided but had been level or fiat instead of wedge shaped.

In normal plating the loops remain below or in front of the upper nibs 33 as is evident from Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and also from Fig. 9; but in reverse plating the loops of both threads pass onto the top of the nib 32 and down the back edge of the same and the back edge of the sinker, as is evident from an inspection of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 and of Fig. 10.

The purpose of the invention is to obtain reverse plating at the precise desired needle wale or wales, to make (if desired) a reverse plating stripe, asingle needle wale only in width, and instantly to return to normal plating; that is, in accordance with the invention we have provided means whereby the reverse plating areas are precisely determined or limited or outlined. In a copending application filed by Lawson and Lawson, Serial No. 172,331, filed March 3, 1927, there is disclosed a jack having a nib generally like the nib 32 and by which reverse plating is secured, but in the construction shown in that application the reverse plating is of a two needle width because means are not provided to restrict the same to a single needle wale. In other words, according to said prior application, following reverse plating the two yarns are left to return to normal plating because of their natural tendency to do so, and it requires the width of the'next succeeding needle wale to accomplish this or permit it to result. In the present invention, however, the reverse plating may be of a single needle width or wale only, and the yarns are compelled to return to normal .plating for the very next needle wale. Of course, the reverse plating areas may be of any desired number of needles or wales in width, but

whatever the width, normal plating is permitted 75 to begin only upon the precise desired needle wale and iscompelled to end upon the precise desired needle wale, whether such reverse plating be one needle wale in width or more than one needle wale in width.

It is obvious from an inspection of Figs. 6, 'l, 8 that not only are the two threads reversed in position so that they move down the downwardly, outwardly inclined edge 34, but that the stitch is cast off at the lower part of said inclined edge.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, we have shown insaid figures perspectively, three successive needles and their sinkers. In Fig. 9, the needles are indicated at A, B and C respectively, and are accorded the same designation in Fig. 9a.

In Figs. 9 and 9a, it is to be understood that normal plating only occurs. and it is to be also understood that the knitting point is about one and a half to two needles further to the left viewi ing Fig. 9 than is the needle C,

three needles.

In Fig. 10, wherein reverse plating only occurs, the three needles are designated A, B', C, and

obviously they may be the same identical needles indicated at A, B, C in Fig. 9 in subsequent courses of the, work, or they may be another group of The said needles A, B, C are similarly designated'in Fig. 10a. 1

In Fig. 11 there are designated three needles A, B, C, and it is to be understood that normal plating occurs upon the needle A, that reverse plating occurs upon the needle B, and that normal plating occurs upon the needle C. Said nee-' dles are similarly designated in Fig. 110..

In the present. disclosure, and referring to a needle at which reverse plating is to occur, we do not turn or change from normal plating'to reverse plating by the sinker on the side of the needle which is nearest the knitting point, but we turn the yarns only by the sinker on the other side of the needle, namely, the side furthest from the knitting point. Thus we obtain a one needle line of reverse plating or exact line of reverse plating of any desired width. This is effected because the two yarns are bound at the side of the sinker in question, nearest the knitting point. The binding occurs between the hook of the needle and the inclined edge 2% of the sinker thereof whereat normalplating is returned to, That is to say, if reverse plating is to occur only on the needle B (Fig. ii) the binding will occur between the needle C and its own sinker t at the inclined edge 29 thereof. Reverse plating is effected at the inclined edge 3d of the sinker of the needle B and occurs at the near side of that edge viewing the sinker of the needle B in Fig. 11. As indicated inFig. 11, the yarns are knitted by the needle C in a normal plating relation and the yarns are knitted by the adjacent needle B in needle C in a process of knitting. This action occurs whatever the width of the reverse plating stripe or area whether the width be one needle wale or a plurality of needle wales, and a similar binding action occurs at the needle and its sinker just anterior to the needle whereat reverse plat ing is to begin or whereon it is to occur if it be upon a single needle only. Heretofore when reverse plating has been attempted by a sinker or instrumentality on a single needle only, it has been attempted only on the side nearest the knit? ting point (with respect to that needle). In acthe side away from the knitting point. I

The hump defined by the point 30 on each sinker raises the edge of the sinker over which the yarns are drawn as by the needle 0, Fig. 11, which hump thus acts upon the yarns by engaging 'them before reversal of the yarns in the hook of the needle B by the adjarent sinker (intermediate sinkenFig. 11) can effect reversal of the yarns in'the book of the needle C.

Summarizing the preceding description: reverse plating is eifected at a needle wale by causing yarns to be drawn over the downwardly and outwardly inclined edge of a sinker as by yarns over the downwardly and inwardly inclined edge 29. The outwardly and downwardly inclined edge on the intermediate sinker, Fig. 11, causes the yarn to ride up' the'bill side of the hook whereas the downwardly and inwardly inclined edge 29 causes the yarns to ride up the shank side of the hook of the needle C, as a consequence of which the yarns are relatively r'eversed in position in their respective needle hooks. The raised edge provided by the incline 29, serves the additional function of engaging the yarns and binding them in cooperation with the hook of the needle as the needle 0 before they would otherwise be engaged and bound if the hump were not present in which-case the reversal likewise to reverse in the hook of the, needle C.

It is to be understood that the stitch or loop is not loosened at the wale or wales where reverse plating occurs. There is no perceptible looseness of the stitches or loops in the wale or wales wherein reverse plating occurs in accordance with our invention.

In Fig. 911 we have indicated at the needle B the upper edge of the nib 2d of the sinker 5, thus indicating the sloping or wedging edge 2d and the downwardly sloping throat ti, and in Figs. 10a and lid at the needle B we have indicated the back sloping edge of the sinker at Ml.

Having thus described certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a knittingmachine of the independent needles type, a series of needles, means for feeding two yarns thereto in a plating relation, a sinker like special instrumentality for each needlemovable transversely of the needle series, and having an edge formation cooperating in efiecting reverse plating, a,jack located in the same groove as and beneath each instrumentality, and means to move said jacks-thereby to move the desired cordance with our invention, we reverse only on of the yarns by the needle B drawing the yarns instrumentalities to cause the edge formations threads so that reverse plating occurs only at the actual needle or needles whose instrumentalities are moved transversely a distance in'excess of the normal movement required for normal plating, each of said lnstrumentalities having at its forward part a binding edge for the threads and having a top nib, over the top and down back of which at least one of the threads passes in reverse plating, and a jack for each such instrumentality, and means to move said lacks so as thereby to move desired lnstrumentalities in eifecting reverse plating.

3. A method of knitting plated areas including feeding two yarns to the needles of a knitting machine in a plating relation and effecting the knitting of stitches, causing lnstrumentalities 00-- operating with the needles to eifect a reversal of the yarns at one or more of the wales knitted by the said needles, and causing an adjacent instrumentality next in advance of a needle whereat reversal of the yarns is not to occur, to act upon the yarns by engaging them before reversal of the yarns by the adjacent instrumentality in, the direction of yarn supply can effect reversal of the yarns at the said needle whereat reversal of the yarns is not to occur. I

4. In a knitting machine of the independent needle type, a series of needles, means for feeding two yarns thereto in a plating relation, a sinker like special instrumentality for-each needle movable transversely of the needle series, whereby normal plating occurs upon the needles whose said instrumentalities are moved transversely a normal distance and reverse plating occurs upon the needles whose said lnstrumentalities are moved transversely a greater distance, said instrumentalities having reverse-plating restricting formations-to engage the yarn or yarns each of some of the said lnstrumentalities being so arranged. and controlled that one of the said instrumentalities immediately in advance of another instrumentality acts upon the yams to prevent reverse plating eflected by the last mentioned instrumentality from causing reverse platiing to be eifected at the wale knitted by a needle I located between the said last mentioned instrumentality and the instrumentality in advance thereof.

5. A knitting machine having independent needles and cooperating lnstrumentalities for effecting the knitting of plated stitches, the instrumentalities being constructed to effect normal plating at some wales and reverse plating at other wales, the construction and operation of the said lnstrumentalities being such that reverse plating is eflected at a wale where the plating relations of the threads are governed by one of the said lnstrumentalities and, at a wale knitted immediately prior to the knitting of the wale first mentioned, a second instrumentality having a relatively raised portion engages the yarns and thereby prevents the reverse plating efiected by the first mentioned instrumentality extending beyond the wale effected in the direction of the second the yarns before reversal of the yarns by the adjacent instrumentality in the direction of yarn v supply can effect reversal of the yarns at the said needle whereat reversal of the yarns is not to occur. I

ROBER H. LAWSON. ARTHUR N. CLOUTIER. 

